The present invention relates generally to a system and method for supporting a worker in a distributed work environment. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method that identifies and locates a worker in a distributed work environment when a data communication connection is established between the worker""s computing device and a network and that provides the worker with services and privileges based on the worker""s location and/or identity.
In recent years, the use of portable data communication devices has become commonplace and even necessary in the work environment. Workers must often travel from their offices and yet must retain connectivity to the workplace to access their workfiles and to respond to communications from others. Portable data communication devices, such as laptop computers, wireless telephones and pagers, facilitate travel outside of the workplace by enabling the mobile worker to maintain access to workfiles, such as via a modem or wireless link to a wired local area network (LAN), and to respond to communications from others, such as by e-mail, wireless telephone or pager.
Even within the work environment itself, workers often move about freely to attend meetings or to engage in conferences with co-workers. Yet, for a worker to retain connectivity to the workplace while moving about within the workplace, the worker must transport much of the same burdensome baggage as if he were traveling away from the workplace: a laptop computer, a pager, and perhaps even a wireless telephone, and possibly even a collection of wires and connectors. In addition, to gain access to the LAN, the internally mobile worker must find an available access port to establish a communications link, which may be difficult in conference rooms or offices where more than one user wants to connect. Thus, the worker may not be able to gain access to workfiles or presentation programs that would be useful when communicating to co-workers, or, if borrowing an access port assigned to another person, the mobile worker may not be able to access coded files or other privileges that have been tailored to the mobile worker""s needs or that are available at particular areas within the work facility. Also, a worker who is often absent from his designated work space may miss important communications from others, such as phone calls, because the worker cannot be located within the work facility.
Although solutions are known which address the foregoing problems, the solutions are not complete or introduce other complications. For example, to ensure that a mobile worker receives incoming communications, one known solution includes a public address system for paging the worker. Other more sophisticated solutions include systems that locate mobile workers within the work environment through the use of a network of wireless transmitters, such as badges worn by the worker, and receivers that may be mounted in fixed locations throughout the work facility. Once the individual""s location has been determined, such systems may, for example, automatically route telephone calls to the telephone nearest the individual""s location. Additionally, such systems may provide the individual with certain privileges, such as access to restricted work areas or customized automatic control of the environment in particular work areas. However, it would be desirable to provide the individual with even greater freedom to move about the workplace. Such freedom would include providing customized access to the facility""s LAN or other data communications network, such that the worker""s office virtually accompanies the worker throughout the work facility.
The possibility of establishing a virtual office is facilitated by the widespread use of computers in the workplace, e.g. laptops and other portable or desktop computers and workstations, which allow an individual to access multiple information service applications such as e-mail, voicemail, word processing, internet access and telephony services via the work facility""s LAN. More and more of these types of information applications are being accessed by individuals via their personal computers, and more and more individuals are carrying computing devices or other types of data communication devices with them, including xe2x80x9cnotebookxe2x80x9d computers, complex calculators, daily planners, personal digital assistants, electronic address books, etc. Without the ability to access the information applications from remote locations, valuable time and resources are spent running back to the office, or relocating to a location that has a wired LAN access.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a more elegant solution to these problems than offered by known solutions. Such a solution would allow a worker to move freely about the work facility without hindering access to wired systems. Such a solution also would be capable of locating the worker within the work facility such that communications can be automatically routed to the worker and such that the worker may enjoy certain customized privileges regardless of the worker""s location or take advantage of other privileges or services available only at particular locations. Further, such a solution would provide this freedom of movement and unrestricted enjoyment of privileges without the need for installation of a costly network of transmitters and receivers which serve the sole purpose of locating mobile workers. Instead, the location feature of the solution would be integrated with the other system features. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a system and method for supporting a worker in a distributed work environment which allows mobile access of a computing device to customized privileges and services based on the user""s identification information and/or the physical location of the user.
The present invention relates to a method of supporting a worker using a computing device in a distributed work environment with a plurality of physical locations having a plurality of network access stations connected to a network so that the computing device may be connectable to the network at a network access station associated with a physical location within the work environment. The method may include positioning a communications port of the computing device near a communications transceiver of the network access station to establish a communications data link between the computing device and the network access station; establishing a network connection between the computing device and the network at the network access station to provide the computing device with a communication link to the network; registering the computing device on the network according to a network physical address associated with the network access station; determining an identity given by the worker associated with the computing device; determining the physical location of the worker associated with the computing device; providing the worker associated with the computing device with privileges and services associated with the physical location; providing the worker associated with the computing device with privileges and services associated with the identity of the worker.
The present invention also relates to a data communications system for supporting a worker using a computing device in a distributed work environment with a plurality of physical locations having a plurality of network access stations connected to a network so that the computing device is connectable to the network at a network access station associated with a physical location within the work environment. The system includes means for registering the computing device on the network according to a network physical address associated with the network access station, means for determining an identity given the worker associated with the computing device, means for determining the physical location of the worker associated with the computing device, means for providing the worker associated with the computing device with privileges and services associated with the physical location, and means for providing the worker associated with the computing device with privileges and services associated with the identity of the worker.